Yesterday IOTA Foundation announced a partnership with Primority, a digital food safety start-up which helps food factories monitor the safety of their supply chains.
The joint venture aims to provide consumers with the confidence that they can purchase food products safely, without risking avoidable allergic reactions.
The risk for allergen cross-contamination stems mainly from transferring between stages in the supply chain. Indeed, some information may not be passed along, whether intentionally or otherwise.
This can result in hidden allergens, which may have severe consequences. According to a Pediatrics survey, 42% of children with allergies have had at least one reaction that required emergency care.
The project will focus on developing an app for consumers, called AllerSafe. The idea is the consumer will be able to scan a food product’s barcode with AllerSafe. Any allergens involved along the supply chain will immediately be listed on the app.
The app will leverage Primority’s 3iVerify software, which is a cloud solution to which food suppliers can upload information about their products, including allergens, expiration dates and certifications. 3iVerify was developed to enable food factories to gather this data quickly, securely, and cost-effectively so they can provide food traceability.
However, this data will now also appear in the IOTA tangle, a distributed ledger technology (DLT – although not a blockchain) allowing for the secure sharing of data.
Upon scanning the product, AllerSafe will display this data to consumers. Since information uploaded to the tangle is traceable to each supplier and cannot be modified, consumers will have confidence in the contents of the product. Moreover, consumers can use AllerSafe without the need to open an IOTA wallet.
Primority is also engaged in a project with the World Food Safety Organization (WFSO). As the WFSO’s technology partner, it is involved in turn in the Global Food Blockchain Initiative (GFBI). The GFBI is aiming to make food supply chains safer and more transparent by promoting a global food blockchain.
